Alternatives to Dental Crowns

A healthy, beautiful smile matters. It boosts your confidence, helps you make a great first impression, and is crucial to your overall.

So when your teeth are damaged or decayed, it can cause health issues. Dental crowns are a common fix for damaged teeth. They cover the whole visible part of a tooth, protecting and helping it look like new.

Traditional crowns are a great long-term choice, but may require significant tooth reduction. They may also need more than one appointment to finish.

That’s where crown alternatives come in! There are plenty of options available to restore your smile.

Why dental crown alternatives?

You should consider dental crown alternatives if you want to save more of your natural tooth or if you need a quicker, more affordable option. Here are alternatives we recommend:

Porcelain Onlays

Porcelain onlays are partial crowns. They cover just the damaged part of the tooth, not the whole visible surface. Onlays are custom-made in-house to match the color and shape of your natural teeth.

Onlays fix larger cavities, mend cracked or broken teeth, and help align your bite. They are less invasive than traditional crowns and also save more of the natural tooth structure.

Porcelain onlays are ideal for those with teeth that have severe decay or damage in a specific area, like the biting surface or one or more cusps.

Provisional Crowns (or In-Office Lab Indirect Resin Crowns)

Provisional crowns are a transitional solution that still protects your tooth until you get your permanent crown or other restoration. Veneers are also used as a provisional solution. They protect the damaged tooth and let your dentist make adjustments before the final restoration, while keeping your smile looking natural. 

These crowns are usually made of plastic or resin, protecting your tooth and keeping it looking beautiful. They are fabricated outside of the mouth using an impression of the prepared tooth, and then bonded into place.

Provisional crowns and veneers are great for patients needing quick protection for a damaged tooth while helping them see and feel how it functions before investing in more permanent solutions. However, it’s important to note that provisional crowns and veneers are temporary and will need to be replaced down the line.

Veneers

Dental veneers are thin, custom-made shells made of tooth-colored material and bonded to the front of teeth. They’re a great restorative choice that are long-lasting and have a more even, natural color compared to resin restoratives and teeth whiteners. We recommend veneers for cosmetic problems, such as uneven or discolored teeth.

Compared to traditional crowns, they require less tooth reduction and can often be completed in just two appointments. Plus, they are durable and long-lasting.

Veneers are a great option for patients wanting to enhance the look of their front teeth. They offer a way to improve smiles without needing major dental work.

Fillings

Fillings are a basic dental restoration that can be used to repair teeth with minor to moderate decay or damage. As a more gentle option to crowns, fillings can be placed to delay crown placement. They are made of a variety of materials, including composite resin, amalgam, and glass ionomer cement.

Filling technology has come a long way over the years. Today, it provides more durable and natural-looking materials, bonding directly to the tooth, which adds strength.

Fillings are ideal for patients with small to medium-sized cavities or minor chips and cracks. Getting fillings is also quicker and less expensive than porcelain crowns.

Bioclear

The Bioclear method restores damaged or misshapen teeth, such as crack lines (from amalgam) and missing cusps. It uses a special composite resin material that wraps the tooth in a thin, clear matrix. This creates a seamless, natural-looking restoration. 

This option is minimally invasive, saves more of the natural tooth, and can usually be done in one appointment. Bioclear preserves a natural tooth structure and color, and can also close some space between teeth or space from recession. 

Bioclear is great for patients with chipped, worn, or misshapen front teeth who want a minimally invasive option with excellent aesthetics. Some choose Bioclear as a rejuvenation treatment, since it makes them look younger!

Let Us Restore Your Smile

It’s important to consult with a trusted dental professional, like our team at Harmony Family Dentistry, to point you in the right direction for restorations. Our main goal is to preserve the natural structure of your teeth.

While putting together a restorative treatment plan just for you for a beautiful, healthy smile, we consider your health as a whole. Whether or not crowns are the best option for your damaged teeth, we look at factors such as your insurance coverage, age, bite pressure, and teeth pattern.

So get started by booking a consultation with our skilled dental team today. Just give us a call or fill out a contact form here.